Relationships are a crucial aspect of human life, and we often find ourselves seeking to find a relationship that is empowering or uplifting to us in some way. When we take a look at our worldly relationships, what do we see? Do we see our relationships filled with Godly mannerisms and actions, or do we see our relationships filled with sin and corruption? In most cases, we would like to say that we all have godly relationships in our lives, but if we notice that our relationships are not Christ-centered then we need to re-evaluate our friendships.
One relationship that shows the power of a godly friendship is found in 1 Samuel 18 with David and Jonathan. The text says, “Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul.” We see from this passage that Jonathan made a pact with David and became best friends because of their love for one another. This love was not shallow but had a deeper meaning to them both. We see later in Jonathan’s life, that his father, Saul, wanted to kill David because he knew that his spot on the throne was in jeopardy. Jonathan had a choice to make here: Let his best friend be killed or He could spare David’s life by warning him about Saul. Ultimately, we see that David was saved by Jonathan’s warning.
A godly friendship should be similar to that of Jonathan and David. The Bible frequently speaks to this principle in the New and Old Testament; 1 John 4:11 says, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” A godly relationship should be centered around our love for each other, which requires us to put each other above ourselves. When we begin to put others first in our lives, we begin to glorify Christ and show others the sacrificial love that Christ had for us. It does not stop there! To continue glorifying Christ in our relationships, we should do things such as bearing their burdens (Gal 6:2), praying for each other (James 5:16), and holding each other accountable for our actions (Pro 27:17). For the betterment of our spiritual walk on this earth, we must seek out these relationships not only with each other but also with God. We should be in constant communication with God but also with our brothers and sisters in Christ. One of the crucial aspects of the church is the community that we can invite others into. To reach new people, our Christ-centered relationships are the best way to start; If people notice that we are different, they may be curious and want to learn more about why we are different from the world.
We know that Jesus Christ was our example, and we should seek to glorify him in all that we do, including our relationships. Remember to pray for those who you are around and let us help each other grow closer to Christ each day in our relationships.
Christian Cherry
Dalraida church of Christ is a congregation of Christians that meet in the mid-town area of Montgomery, Alabama. Our goal and purpose is to seek and follow God and His Word in everything that we do in life.